Data are encoded into one or more optically encoded images. The optically encoded images are then inserted as image data into a video sequence—i.e., in video frames. Data are transmitted in-band within the video, via any conceivable video distribution channel or format. The video may be trans-coded as required—because the data are optically encoded, any video processing that even crudely preserves the frame images will preserve the optically encoded data. This scheme of in-band data transfer in video is very robust. A video receiving apparatus receives the video, inspects the image data from video frames in memory, detects optically encoded images in the image data, and decodes the optically encoded images to recover the data. The frames carrying optically encoded images are typically discarded and not rendered to a display. The data from a plurality of optically encoded images may be concatenated, and further processed.